Training Your Cat to Use Litter
Filed Under Pet urine removal, Urine Odor Removal, Urine Off, Urine Removal, cat urine |Hi and welcome back to Urine Off Reviews, where we discuss issues relevant to dog and cat urine removal, review products, and share anecdotes. Today, we discuss the principles of training your cat to use the litter box.
There are two principles to keep in mind when trying to keep cat urine off of your carpet and in the litter box: patience and persistence. Like all animals, cats learn best from positive reinforcement: if they have a good experience, they will try to replicate it. Negative reinforcement, or bad experiences, will have the opposite effect, driving cat to reject your training.
But what constitutes a bad experience? According to us at Urine Off Reviews, that depends on the situation. If your cat behaves badly, for example urinating in your shoe, avoid confusing your cat. Some owners will try to teach their cat NOT to do this by showing them the shoe, but simultaneously showing the litter box. Although they are trying to teach the cat where to go, this is only confusing. The cat doesn’t know which is the better option, and ultimately associates the litter box with negativity, thinking of it as an enemy.
At the same time, however, you should not just indulge your cat’s every desire. Don’t give in to unacceptable behavior. If your cat wakes you up consistently, meowing or pawing at your face to get your attention because it wants something, don’t always comply. If you give your cat what it wants, you reinforce that behavior, making your cat think that this is the most effective way to communicate with you.
Avoid these pitfalls with the following training tips:
1. Don’t just reprimand your cat. This is negative reinforcement that should be avoided, because it will drive your cat to retaliate - often when you’re not around to prevent it.
2. Plan ahead. If you’re a cat owner, you know that feline digestive systems are nothing if not predictable! Use this to your advantage when training for the litter box. When it’s time for your cat to use the restroom, take it into the room with the litter box and close the door. Your cat will be forced to use the box, which you should then reward with praise and a treat (like a toy or snack). Try this for about a week.
3. Reward. Giving your cat a treat is a great example of positive reinforcement. Use your cat’s favorite foods or toys.
4. Deter bad behavior. If you frequently find cat urine in your shoes, try placing objects that the cat doesn’t like near these shoes. For example, you could try lining both your shoes and the area around your shoes with double-sided tape. Many cats hate this and will thus avoid urinating in the area.
Thanks for reading our articles on cat urine removal and prevention here at Urine Off Reviews. If these suggestions don’t help you train your cat to use kitty litter, your cat may be acting up because it feels starved for attention. To alleviate this problem, and to ensure you never need any sort of urine off, make sure you devote a minimum of 30 minutes a day to your cat.
